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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23311174">Last Chance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DAYS8/pseuds/NarutoDays'>NarutoDays (DAYS8)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Coming of Age, F/M, Feelings Realization, NaruHina 2020, Teen Romance, Time Loop</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:36:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23311174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DAYS8/pseuds/NarutoDays</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He's moving away.</p><p>But they were never close to begin with.  So after tonight, he can leave, and she'll have no regrets.</p><p> </p><p>Written for NH2020 - February: "Groundhog Day" Loop</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>109</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Only Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I...I couldn't do it.  I meant this to be a long one-shot submission for NaruHina Year 2020 for February's theme of Time Looping.<br/>And as anyone can see, I completely missed the February (soft) deadline.  I've got the second chapter almost done!</p><p>Time Looping or Time Travel is an interesting and challenging trope to write.  I hope there's no "correct" way to do it because I'm just doing it however I like.</p><p>Also lol no one asked for another High School AU. </p><p>Please enjoy the NaruHina :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fireworks leap into the dark.</p><p>Blooming,</p><p>Pounding,</p><p>Cascading in heat and light.</p><p>She feels it in her heart.</p><p>This moment won’t last forever, she has only now.</p><p>Her last chance to tell him.</p><p>“Naruto-kun.”</p><p>He tilts his head, his eyes still fixed on the display.  “Yeah?”</p><p>Shadows shift over his face as the sky burns above them.  His eyes sparkle, reflecting, dancing in light.  She’s never been so close to him before.  She never will be ever again.  She’ll never forget him in this beautiful moment.  “I love you.”</p><p>The crowd’s voices rise as a large one explodes overhead, light showering down over the ocean.</p><p>Sakura, on the other side of him, exclaims a loud, “Wow!”</p><p>But Naruto turns, brows furrowing, eyes trained directly at her, mouth fallen open.  “...What?”</p><p>For a second, time freezes.</p><p>He’s never not heard her.  No matter how quiet her voice, he <em> somehow </em> always heard her.</p><p><em> Class presentations-- “If you guys just </em> shut up<em>, maybe you’d know what she’s saying!” he’d scold. </em></p><p>
  <em> Friends pressuring her-- “C’mon Sakura-chan.  Leave it alone, you heard what she said.” </em>
</p><p>He heard her.  He’s not asking because he didn’t hear.  He heard.</p><p>She takes a step back from the railing, self-consciousness flooding her.</p><p>He turns, watching her.</p><p>She takes another step back, wondering if she can take her words back, too.  “Sorry,” she murmurs, before turning around.</p><p>Her stupid geta and yukata don’t let her run.  But she tries anyway, her knees pressing against the tight circle of cotton around her legs, her feet finding no flexibility squished between wood and stiff cloth.</p><p>A firm hand closes around her arm, then her other side, stopping her from going any further.</p><p>“Hinata!” gasped out, but not from exhaustion, from surprise.</p><p>She goes rigid in his hands.</p><p>He relaxes his grip.</p><p>“Naruto!  Hinata!” Sakura comes, hurrying beside them, her geta clapping against the cement.  “What are you guys-”</p><p>His hands fall away.  “I just need to talk to her.  You can go back.”</p><p>Hinata looks at Sakura, not at all knowing if she wants her to stay and stop this or leave them alone.</p><p>Sakura’s gaze shifts between them.  She’s too smart.  Her head turns back to the railing, toward Ino, who’s anxiously trying to hold their spots.  She glances at them again.  “Okay.”  She turns around, leaves them, leaves her to suffer this alone.</p><p>Hinata trains her eyes at the sky, fireworks blossoming one after the other.  It was the heat of the moment.  No, it was the festival’s influence.  No, it’s because...it’s because…</p><p>“Hinata.”</p><p>She can feel his gaze burning into her.</p><p>“Why.”  His voice falls heavily, at odds with the high buzz of excitement surrounding them.  “...Why now.”</p><p>She finally looks at him.</p><p>His face scrunches up.  Pained.</p><p>She feels her heart mirroring him.  “...because...you’re leaving.”  She’s so quiet, she has no idea how he can hear her over the noise.</p><p>“I’m leaving!”  His voice rushes out, forced.  “So why would you tell me that now.  I can’t...I can’t do anything about…”  He gestures aimlessly.  He’s rejecting her.</p><p>But she never had any expectations to begin with.  She already knew her feelings weren’t reciprocated.  She just wanted to tell him.  “I-I know.”  Maybe that’s why she’s telling him now.  She’s getting this over and down with.  Finding her own closure.  And she won’t have to suffer any humiliation once he’s gone.</p><p>His eyes widen for a moment.  Staring.  Then pain shades his face once more.  “Why now, why not…”</p><p>Tell him earlier?  She was too afraid.  Isn’t that obvious?</p><p>“Hinata.”  He takes a small step closer.</p><p>She shifts backward, but he closes that distance anyway.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>She shakes her head furiously, and she’s vaguely aware of her kanzashi loosening in her side bun.</p><p>“...If you had told me sooner…”</p><p>She looks up at him in disbelief.  If she had told him sooner?  Then?  “...But you don’t like--”  Her lips tighten around that admittance of the secret burden in her heart.</p><p>He looks away, one foot scuffs against the ground.  “...I would’ve liked to…”  He stares hard at a spot somewhere away from them, brows so furrowed, cheeks scrunched.  He lets out a breath, then looks directly at her, his expression clouded.  “I would’ve liked to get to know you better,” he murmurs.</p><p>He might have accepted her?  Even if he didn’t have any feelings for her?  The gravity of the direction of his words hits her.</p><p>Maybe they could’ve been a couple.  Maybe he might’ve eventually returned her feelings.</p><p>But he’s leaving.</p><p>So none of that’s going to happen.</p><p>Ever.</p><p>If only he wasn’t leaving.</p><p>If only he wasn’t leaving.</p><p>Tears sting her eyes as she stares at his shoes.  She doesn’t want to cry.  Tonight was supposed to be a happy one.  A final, celebratory farewell.  But she’s already ruined that.  She shouldn’t have said anything.  She can’t stop her eyes from burning.  “I think I’ll go home.”</p><p>She turns around.</p><p>“Wait.”</p><p>She keeps walking.</p><p>“Hinata.”</p><p>She can tell he’s trailing after her.</p><p>“It’s dangerous,” he tries, using a logic that she knows she should listen to.  The city at night isn’t a very forgiving place.</p><p>But she feels like she can’t turn back to face him again now.</p><p>If only he wasn’t leaving.</p><p>If only he wasn’t leaving!</p><p>Her feet pick up a pace that she knows her attire can’t handle.</p><p>“Hinata!  Wait!” he calls, his voice sounding as heavy as her heart.</p><p>And somehow, it only makes her feel worse.  Her eyes close, a tear spilling out.  Now she really can’t face him.  Her vision blurs.</p><p>If only she hadn’t started crying.</p><p>No, if only she hadn’t said anything.</p><p>No.</p><p>If only he wasn’t leaving.</p><p>If only she had more time with him.</p><p>Her geta catches on an uneven stone.  Her ankle rolls.</p><p>She doesn’t have time to cry out as she tries to catch herself.</p><p>She hits the ground, pain smarting over her hip and arm.</p><p>Tinkly, musical tones snap her eyes open.</p><p>Light hits her bookshelves.</p><p>She sits up, her blanket falling down to her lap.</p><p>She looks at her phone, her alarm set for 6:00.  For a school morning.</p><p>It’s a school morning?</p><p>But she could’ve sworn that she just humiliated herself.  Falling after foolishly running in her geta.  She can imagine exactly how she fell, the pain a ghost over her ankle and elbow.</p><p>She turns off her alarm and gets out of bed.</p><p>Utterly confused, she heads to her closet.</p><p>Her yukata is hung.  Just as it had been all week in sorrowful anticipation for Naruto’s last night in Konoha.</p><p>Confused, she reluctantly pulls a uniform out.</p><p>She confessed to Naruto, didn’t she?</p><p>He rejected her, didn’t he?  And in a classic Naruto move, he surprised her.  Always saying and doing the unexpected.</p><p>Was it a dream?</p><p>A vivid, incredibly realistic dream?</p><p> </p><p>She slides open her homeroom’s door.  Shino, who’s usually there before her, isn’t in his seat.  <em> Just like yesterday</em>.  Or was it the day before yesterday he was absent?...  So he’s been absent for two days now?  Worry makes her frown.</p><p>Sakura slides into the desk beside her with a cheery “Good morning, Hinata!”</p><p>“Good morning, Sakura-chan.”</p><p>Sakura frowns at Shino’s empty desk.  “Usually he’s here before you.”</p><p>She hums her concern.  “I guess he’s still sick.”</p><p>“Oh, was he sick yesterday?” Sakura asks, eyes wide.  “He’s going to miss the math test, he must be <em> really </em> sick.”</p><p>Her breath freezes in her throat, panic shutting everything down.  “What?  We have another test?”</p><p>Sakura looks at her curiously.</p><p>“W-we just had one two days ago.”</p><p>“What?...No, we didn’t.”  Sakura’s more type-A than anyone in the class.  She would know.</p><p>So Hinata finds herself copying Sakura’s confused expression.  “The test on multiplying complex numbers...?”</p><p>“...That’s today’s test,” Sakura says slowly, clearly, leaving no room for argument.</p><p>Hinata pauses, suddenly feeling incredibly lost.  “Oh.”  Today’s not Sunday.  That wouldn’t make any sense.  “Today’s...Friday?”  That’s what her phone said, too, so why is she so confused?</p><p>“Yep.”  Sakura smiles.  “And to celebrate, we’re gonna all go out after clubs today for karaoke!” she cheers.  “Naruto’s last time,” she says, quieter.  “He said he doesn’t know if his new town will even have karaoke.”</p><p>Hinata feels like she’s watching everything unfold outside of herself.  <em> This already happened. </em> Or, she knew this was going to happen?  This already happened, didn’t it?  She couldn’t go.  Because after judo practice, they always have cram school.</p><p>“Do you want to come with?  I’m skipping juku,” Sakura says, nose scrunching up in a mischievous expression.</p><p>“I don’t think I should skip…” she murmurs, her memories conflicting with the present.</p><p>“That’s too bad...You can’t skip just once?...I think Naruto would be happy.”</p><p>“...R-really?”  No, not really, they hardly talk to each other, even if they’ve known each other since last year.  Then again, last night, didn’t he say he would’ve liked to… <em> last night?  </em>A hot Saturday night alive with fireworks, the oily taste of overpriced yakisoba on her tongue.  A dream?</p><p>“Of course he would be!”</p><p>The door slides open, her homeroom teacher walks in.</p><p>The student leader for the week calls out for them to stand in morning greeting.</p><p>Naruto and Shikamaru come stumbling in right after as usual, their teacher grimacing at their near-late intrusion.</p><p>And with ever since she learned he’d be moving, the ache in her heart deepens.  Starting next week, she won’t see him rushing into class ever again.</p><p>She doesn’t want him to leave.</p><p>She doesn’t want any of this to end.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Each moment that passes in the school day makes her more confused.</p><p>She already learned this.</p><p>She knew the whole history lesson.  It felt word-for-word.  But nobody else wears the same confusion that she has.  And <em> somebody</em>, like Naruto, would have said something by now, right?</p><p>Rewriting notes, rereading passages, taking <em> the same </em> test.</p><p>She dreamed all of this?  She’s dreaming right now?</p><p>How can this be?</p><p>How could she know?  All predictions for the afternoon are coming true.</p><p>After changing in the lockers from judo, she runs into Naruto and Shikamaru as they’re coming off of baseball practice.</p><p>This happened, too, before, didn’t it?</p><p>“Oi, Hinata, you going to karaoke with us?” Shikamaru calls out.  He’s so smart, he doesn’t even need juku.</p><p>The golden boy turns and sees her, eyes widening in surprise.</p><p>
  <em> She said, heart already hurting to decline the invitation right in front of him, “I have juku…” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Shikamaru shrugged and Naruto nodded, wishing her good luck in her studies. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She didn’t miss the daily vocabulary quiz.  She continued to practice progressive past voice in the English lesson.  She did the responsible thing.  She missed out, and it was okay. </em>
</p><p>Wasn’t it?...</p><p>
  <em> Her wide obi tight around her waist, holding her together as he visibly processed her confession.  “I would’ve liked to get to know you better.”  A pained expression she’s never seen before on her crush’s face. </em>
</p><p>Did that really happen or not?  What matters is he’s still here right now.  So whether it happened or not...this is her last chance.  “I’ll go,” she affirms.</p><p>“Huh?” Shikamaru asks, taking a step closer in her direction.</p><p>“She said she’ll go!  You deaf or what?” Naruto smiles brilliantly at her, a grin that never fails to leave her dazed.  “So you and Sakura-chan are going to skip for <em> me</em>?”  His chest expands as he pumps a fist in the air, cheering.</p><p>She didn’t know Naruto even knew she went to the same juku as Sakura.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re coming?!”  “You never skip!”  “I can’t believe Hinata’s skipping.”  “Wow we gotta show her everything she’s been missing out on.”</p><p>Such exclamations herald her as the group gathers at the school entrance.</p><p>She feels so extremely naughty, so severely embarrassed by the attention, and at the same time, oddly proud of herself.</p><p>The subway stops at where she and Sakura usually get off for juku.  The doors open.</p><p>Hinata stays seated.</p><p>The doors close.  The subway pulls away for their next stop.</p><p>She bites her lips, a strange anxiety seizing the pit of her stomach.</p><p>Sakura just shines a reassuring smile at her.  “It’ll be alright!  We need to live a little, too!”</p><p>And Hinata realizes that it’s <em> a lot easier </em> to skip than she previously thought.</p><p>No one’s coming after them.</p><p>No one’s scolding the crowd of teens in their uniforms for walking through the shopping district.  No one’s stopping them from climbing the steps to the second floor of a rather nondescript building and entering the lobby.</p><p>The man at the counter assigns them one of the medium-sized rooms.</p><p>She follows Sakura in, taking a seat between her and Kiba.  She watches Naruto sit across from them, with Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino.</p><p>It’s hard to not sneak glances at him.  It’s exhilarating, being near him in a different setting.</p><p>Besides naughty, she feels young, living the way she should be at this age.</p><p>Binders are opened, songs are punched in, mics are passed around, and Ino’s calling the man back over a relatively old-looking intercom with orders of juice and soda.</p><p>Kiba pushes the binder toward her, urging her to choose a song.</p><p>She flips through pages and pages, reading titles and titles until she happens upon a classic pop song, one probably everyone knows.  “Is this a good one?”</p><p>Kiba glances over.  “Yeah put it in!  Anything is good!”  He grabs the large remote for her.</p><p><em> Anything?  </em>So she pushes the ID number in to reserve the song.</p><p>Her schedule and strict father don’t permit her much unsupervised free time with her friends.</p><p>She’s really breaking the rules.</p><p>At this very moment, she should be practicing new vocabulary.</p><p>So it takes a few songs for her to feel comfortable enough to sing along.</p><p>She figures no one can really hear her anyway over Ino and Naruto, who go hard for nearly every song, even if they don’t have the microphone.</p><p>Admiration for their self-confidence puts stars in her eyes, a permanent smile on her face, and laughter bubbling out whenever Naruto acts as the background hype man.</p><p>Until Naruto calls out, “Whose song is this?”</p><p>“Hinata put this one in!” Kiba says, without missing a beat.</p><p>Naruto leans over the table, shoving the mic at her, and she stares at him bewildered.</p><p>“Ah, ah-I, don’t need the mic,” she tries.</p><p>“Oh don’t worry, Hinata!  Just take it!” Sakura encourages.</p><p>“Somebody else can take it…”  She quickly notices that the momentum of the party has pretty much.  Stopped.  Because of her attitude.  Why is she like this?  But, she really doesn’t want to have her voice over the speaker…</p><p>Naruto leans back into his seat.  “I’ll sing it with you!”</p><p>Kiba suddenly has the other mic, passing it over to her from Ino.  “Here!  Don’t worry!”  He adds then, noticing her continued discomfort, “It’s just us.”</p><p>Everyone else has picked up the lyrics, already effortlessly singing the classic love song.</p><p>She stares at the mic in Kiba’s hand.</p><p>Sakura turns to her and whispers over her shoulder, “You can just hold it.  You don’t have to sing directly into it.”  Her hand fists a ways in front of her, pretending.</p><p>“Like this!” Naruto inserts, holding the mic down, away from his face.</p><p>Hinata blinks at him.</p><p>He nods, encouraging her with bright eyes.</p><p>She finds her hand moving on its own accord, taking the mic from Kiba.  The cool weight of it makes her insides squirm.  She reminds herself that everyone else is taking responsibility for the song they put in.  She needs to do the same.</p><p>And as the song goes on, she finds it’s not so different from singing without the mic.  She really is just holding it.</p><p>Everyone claps at the end of the song, and she smiles, embarrassed.  She readily hands the mic back to Kiba, and, as per habit, glances toward Naruto.</p><p>He’s smiling right at her.</p><p>She flushes, but he doesn’t give her time to look away.</p><p>“That was great, Hinata!”  Just him saying her name makes her want to faint.  “Choose another one!”  He pushes the giant binder toward her.</p><p>She doesn’t really want to.  But she doesn’t want to disappoint him.</p><p>She opens the lists with a weak smile.  She wants to show him her best, that she’s not a stick in the mud, that her dream (or was it a nightmare?) Naruto would have been right to give her a shot at a date.</p><p>...Amazingly, she grows more and more comfortable in the atmosphere.</p><p>Everyone’s choosing songs.</p><p>Everyone’s taking turns with the mic.</p><p>It would be weirder if she doesn’t.</p><p>It’s fun to sing without worry of judgment.  No one’s rating, grading, or nitpicking her.  It’s even better to realize that she’s a part of the fun, that she’s not missing out on memories.</p><p>Sakura’s holding the mic, looking at her with an excited gleam in her eyes.</p><p>The music begins, and Hinata recognizes the title that scrolls across the screen.  </p><p>“You gotta do it with me,” the pinkette states seriously, standing up.</p><p>“Oh no.”  They were silly middle schoolers, learning a silly para-para dance on their lunch break.  “When did you put that in?”</p><p>Sakura ignores the accusing question.  “You still remember it, right?  At least the hand motions?”  Sakura picks up the lyrics, starting the fast-paced pointing and clapping.</p><p>Ino rushes up to the front, gesturing at Hinata.  “C’mon, I know you still know it!”</p><p>She glances at everyone else, at Naruto.  All of them have wide, expectant eyes, brows high on their foreheads, excited smiles for the performance.</p><p>She can’t do it.  Not in front of boys.</p><p>Sakura continues, pausing every so often to laugh at Ino’s mistakes.</p><p>She finds herself laughing, too.  Because she, in fact, <em> does </em>remember the hand motions.</p><p>She bites her lips.  If she dies tonight, she’ll know who to blame.  She stands, Sakura and Ino squeal in joy, and they pick up the energetic beat together.</p><p>It’s a throwback to three years ago.  When she first started making actual friends.  When she only had Sakura and Ino.  And the two girly girls were obsessed with getting selected for an idol band.</p><p>When she sits back down, she’s smiling harder than she can remember.  From embarrassment, yes.  From the warmth of her friends, <em> still her friends</em>, even three years later, definitely.</p><p>The guys, Naruto included, are smiling directly at them, too, from the entertainment.  Her skin is burning up, she’s certain a severe blush has overtaken her, but she tries not to care.  She’s happier than she’s been in a long time.</p><p>They sing until an hour before minors are kicked out.</p><p>Her smile lasts as they spill back onto the streets.</p><p>Nine-to-fivers crowd the intersections, heading out for Friday night dinner.  The sun shines behind the buildings, casting long shadows and brilliant colors on the clouds.</p><p>She feels alive, a part of the heartbeat of the city, more than just a student.</p><p>Ino comes up beside her, scrunching a teasing smile.  “I think that’s the loudest I’ve ever heard you.”</p><p>“Oh, really?”  Is that a compliment, an insult, or just an observation?  Ino’s probably not wrong, whichever way.  She grew less and less worried about the mic over the hour and a half of singing.  “I, I guess so, huh.”</p><p>“You should come out with us more often!” Ino invites.</p><p>“It was a lot of fun,” she admits.  She didn’t think karaoke was for her.  Whenever Sakura invited her, she thought she’d make a fool of herself.  It turns out, maybe she did, but Naruto and Ino made it so no one looked or sounded more ridiculous than them.  She should’ve tried to go last school year with them, too…</p><p>Naruto turns, looking back at her.  “Thanks for coming out, Hinata!”  His pace slows until she’s caught up to him, and he’s walking <em> right beside her</em>.  “I know you don’t normally...break the rules.”  He gives her a sheepish grin.</p><p>She averts her gaze.  “W-we’re heading back home in time.  I don’t think I’ll get in trouble…”</p><p>“That’s good.”</p><p>She sneaks another look at him, and he’s still watching her.  She can feel heat rising to her cheeks.</p><p>“You’re going to the festival tomorrow, too, right?”</p><p>She nods.  It’s getting harder and harder to breathe.  It’ll be his last night in Konoha.  She’s never dreaded a festival before.</p><p>He smiles.  Then goes quiet, too.</p><p>They walk a few steps in silence when she realizes...he’s not keeping up.</p><p>She turns around.</p><p>He’s standing there, watching them walk away, a lonely look in his eyes she’s never seen before.</p><p>Her breath catches in her chest.</p><p>Belatedly, he notices her.  A hand comes up, ruffling the back of his hair.  “Sorry.”</p><p>She shakes her head.</p><p>He starts walking again.</p><p>She swallows the knot in her throat.  “A-are you okay?” A stupid question. Obviously he isn’t.</p><p>“Yeah,” he sighs.  His hands slip into his pockets.  “Yeah, I’m okay,” he repeats, more determinedly.</p><p>She doesn’t know what to say to cheer him up.  “You…”  The thought dies in her throat.</p><p>“Yeah?  What about me?”</p><p>“Um, you’re very good at karaoke.”</p><p>He laughs, shaking his head, and she’s glad that his mood brightened again so quickly.  “You mean to say I’m terrible at singing, right?”</p><p>“N-no, I think you made each song ten times better.”  She tries to sound as earnest as possible.  Because she honestly believes that.  Karaoke without him will obviously never be the same.</p><p>He chuckles.  “Thanks.”  He smiles at her more, and she knows she’s never held his attention for this long.  “You were awesome at that dance.”</p><p>“Oh,” she verbalizes, blindsided by the compliment.  Heat threatens to burst across her face again at the memory.  “Oh, no, no.”</p><p>“Yeah, you were.  Sakura-chan, too.  Ino….ehhhh.  But you.  You knew all the moves.”  His arms swing out, mimicking their dance.  “I never would have expected all of that from you.”</p><p>She thinks she really is going to die from embarrassment.  And she knows Sakura is to blame.</p><p>He glances down at her again.  “Hey, it’s okay!  It’s nothing to be ashamed about!  You were really good!”</p><p>She’s barely recovering.</p><p>“If anyone should feel embarrassed, it would probably be Ino,” he adds, quieter, cupping his mouth to keep his voice from traveling.</p><p>Remorse for Ino makes her snap out of it.  She frowns at him.</p><p>“I’m just kidding!” he laughs.  “You had fun, right? That’s what you said earlier.”</p><p>Getting out of her comfort zone, breaking the rules, being naughty with her friends, spending time with Naruto!  It was all much more worth it than she expected.  She nods.  “I had a lot of fun.”</p><p>“Yeah, aren’t you glad you came out?”</p><p>“Mhm,” she nods.  She should have gone out more.  She should have tried harder...if she had known Naruto would be leaving...she could have talked to him like this more.  She wouldn’t have been so shy.  She would have enjoyed herself more.  “...I...I wish I went out with...you guys more.”</p><p>Naruto’s silent for a second, before replying, “You’ll have more chances to go karaoke.”</p><p>She does.  He likely doesn’t.  Not in the countryside town he’s moving to.  She should have just skipped more often.  She should have….If only she had more time….  “...I don’t think it will be the same.  Without you, Naruto-kun.”  She blushes furiously, turning away so that he can’t see the pink of her cheeks.</p><p>He doesn’t say anything.</p><p>She shuts her eyes, afraid she said something strange.</p><p>Her phone’s alarm.</p><p>When she opens her eyes, her vision’s blurry, like the world shifted sideways.</p><p>Her head against her pillow.</p><p>Adrenaline spikes, her heart hammering so hard against her chest that she can hear it reverberating in her ears.</p><p>She grabs her phone, exits out of her alarm, stares at the date.</p><p>It’s Monday morning.</p><p>Five days prior.</p><p>She climbs out of bed, trying to get her bearings, turning in circles to find her footing solidly on the floor, the tatami cool beneath her toes.</p><p>Everything’s real.</p><p>She’s not dreaming.</p><p>She <em> wasn’t </em> dreaming.</p><p>None of that could have been a dream, it was too real.</p><p>She was <em> just </em> walking back to the subway station.  Naruto beside her.  Behind their friends.  The sun rapidly lowering behind the buildings in the busy shopping district.  It was about to be dinnertime!</p><p>How, <em> how on earth</em>, is she here, in her room, on a Monday morning she already lived?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. All Along</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I can never tell if what I'm writing is common knowledge or just confusing, or if my writing is clear enough, or if I'm leaning too much into culture to the point it seems foreign, or it's all just a part of background as it should be.  I got a piece of feedback on White Lilies that said they didn't exactly understand what was going on until they read the end-note.  But well, after a night of consideration, I can say I dislike info-loading at the start.  So I'm going to put a ton of cultural notes at the end in case my storytelling is lacking.</p><p> </p><p>Please enjoy the NaruHina!!!! x))))</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It happened again.</p><p>Clenched in his fist, the crystal gem, usually cold on his chest, burns warm.</p><p>Like a phone overheating.</p><p>He lies in his bed, completely flat, breathing deeply to try to calm the rush of…finding out he can turn time?!</p><p>“No fucking way.”</p><p>He shoots out of bed, cradling his necklace, examining it.</p><p>Rapidly cooling back to its normal temperature, the crystal shines it’s turquoise blue.</p><p>His brows furrow, trying to figure it out, his only memento from his deceased godfather.</p><p>It originally belonged to his godfather’s...close friend?  He remembers seeing the lady on occasion, her caked-on makeup, platinum blond hair, and, perhaps most unforgettably, the smell of her breath.  Sour from alcohol, the same as his godfather.  The most sober and clean he ever saw her was when they visited her in the hospital.  Her death devastated the old man.</p><p>Jiraiya never told him her necklace has magic.</p><p>His phone vibrates violently on his desk, the alarm alerting him to get ready for school.</p><p>He grins.</p><p>It’s not his last day.</p><p>He has a <em> whole new week </em> to enjoy himself.</p><p> </p><p>And nothing about it is new.</p><p>He’s practically peeling Shikamaru out of bed...the guy’s limbs are deadweight.</p><p>He’s shoving Shikamaru’s hands into the uniform, repeatedly saying, “Wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up it’s ten minutes to!”  Deep inhale.  “Get up get up geeet uuup your mom said she’d take away your video games if you get detention again!  Get up get up get up!”</p><p>“Ugh.”</p><p>His friend’s never been a morning person.</p><p>But it’s worsened since high school.</p><p>The familiarity of their stupid morning routine--pass by Shikamaru’s place, find out that the dad just got out of bed and the mom left for work, so inevitably Shikamaru slept through his alarms, so it’s up to him to get his friend to school--is precious to him now.  </p><p>Racing to school right as the gates close.</p><p>Speed-walking like exercising grannies through the halls.</p><p>Slamming the door wide open.</p><p>Inviting the teacher’s glares with rushed apologies.</p><p>He has a place here.  A role. Even if he’s “dead-last” in the class.  Even if he’s Shikamaru’s real alarm clock.</p><p>He’s needed.  Special.  If he’s not here, who’s going to graciously score the worst on the assessments?  Who’s going to be infamous as the class dunce with perfect attendance?  Who’s going to lead the nerds to Sports Festival victories?  Most importantly, who’s going to wake up Shikamaru?</p><p>His life here has been far from perfect.</p><p>He lost so much with Jiraiya’s passing.</p><p>His life’s always been a series of losses, really.</p><p>Yet slowly but surely, he felt like he was getting somewhere in school, his one and only constant.</p><p>Even maybe a…</p><p>He glances across the room quickly.</p><p>Hinata’s as focused as ever, diligently taking notes.  A delicate hand thoughtlessly tucks dark strands behind her small ear.</p><p>
  <em> I can’t believe she likes me. </em>
</p><p>They couldn’t be more opposite in personality.</p><p>But he’s always thought that she seemed cute.  Really pretty.  Beyond the fact that all the guys have pervertedly looked at the way <strike>her boobs</strike> she fits in her summer uniform, making her that much more unattainable and attractive, he simply always thought that she seemed interesting, considering that such a gentle girl does judo.</p><p>Way too quiet.</p><p>But.</p><p>Maybe not that quiet?</p><p>
  <em> Her dancing at karaoke was ridiculously cute… </em>
</p><p>If he weren’t leaving, they could go on dates.</p><p>He could have a really cute girlfriend.</p><p>
  <em> Why the hell did she confess to me the night before I had to leave. </em>
</p><p>He frowns down at his notebook and its empty page.  He hasn’t been listening to a second of this lecture.  It’s not like he’s going to be tested on it.  Either he’ll be gone in Awajishima or he could keep looping time to delay his foster family placement.</p><p>Objectively he gets why she did it...he's leaving and she just wanted to finally tell him, but…</p><p>He glances across the room at her.</p><p>Meeting so, so pale, widening eyes.</p><p>His heart stops.</p><p>She turns back to her notebook.  Her fair skin enflames to her ear, rosy all the way down her neck.</p><p>He jerks his attention away, his breath caught in his chest.  A replay in his mind of what he just witnessed spreads a burn across his own cheeks.  <em> Damn. </em></p><p>
  <em> So this whole time, she’s really actually secretly…liked me?  Since when…?  What about me does she even like…?</em>
</p><p><em>"I love you."</em>  She really said that to him.  No joke.</p><p>Each time he remembers it, he has to gulp down a knot in his throat to try to separate fantasy and reality.  His gut goes too warm, like he's liquifying at his core and one glass of water away from getting a stomach-ache.</p><p>It’s obvious to him that he doesn’t feel the same way that she does for him.  They just haven’t talked that much despite having a few mutual friends.  But he doesn’t think it would take much for him to catch feelings.</p><p>She's super pretty after all.</p><p>He frowns at his notebook harder.</p><p>He’s afraid he might already be halfway there.  And it’s only been about a day since finding out.</p><p><em> Fuck</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Not that he can really remember the details of the last time he lived this same day, but it seems to be panning out similarly.</p><p>Except for this one, odd, unexpected change, same as the last time jump…</p><p>Hinata’s here with them in the cafe, ordering a hojicha soft serve cone.</p><p>The straight-laced, good girl playing hooky for ice cream?!  Not even Sakura skipped juku this time!</p><p>Is this some kind of torture?  A joke on his already confusing life?  How is it that everything else is the same except for her?  And the truth of the matter is he’s <em> glad</em>.</p><p>Logically he knows he shouldn’t be glad because what kind of hole is he falling into?</p><p>And what does this mean?</p><p>From the start, this whole time-turning thing seemed unreal.  Is his subconscious trying to let him live out some kind of fantasy?  Has he cracked under all the stress?  Organizing Jiraiya’s burial, moving into youth housing with all the kicked-out teens with undiagnosed emotional disabilities, finding out he has some benevolent family members willing to foster him in a little rinky-dink town...</p><p>Anyway.</p><p>He licks up the chocolate soft serve before it melts onto his hand.  “Thanks again, Shikamaru.  You didn’t have to.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah,” he drawls.  “It’s my thanks to you for always waking me up.  Now I’m clear of all debts!”</p><p>Naruto happily eats more, keeping the thought to himself that it’s actually Shikamaru’s <em> second </em> time buying him ice cream.  “Haha, what are you going to do without me when I’m gone?”</p><p>Shikamaru tsks.  “I’ll figure something out, don’t worry about me.”</p><p>“It’s all up to you to save your games from your mom here on out,” he laughs.  But he doesn’t really feel it.  He doesn’t actually want them to move on in life without him.</p><p>“What a drag,” Shikamaru drawls.</p><p>Ino looks up from her phone.  “Do you know who you’re moving in with?”</p><p>The question catches him off-guard.  Ino didn’t ask him this last time.  “Uh sortaaa?  I’ve never met them before.”</p><p>Hinata’s looking at him, too, and he suddenly feels a pressure to talk more.</p><p>“I talked on the phone with them for a little bit at the office.”  He remembers that they sounded <em> old</em>.  “They’re like my mom’s...cousin’s...mom and dad.  Or like my mom's...mom...so my grandma's...sister and husband?  They’re fishermen…?  Or something.”</p><p>“Um.”  Hinata’s soft voice rises.  “What town was it again?”</p><p>“Minamiawaji.  But I looked up the address on Maps, and like, they live waay out in the sticks, like the outskirts of the town.  It’s impossible to bike to the high school. And there’s no trains on the whole freakin’ island.”</p><p>“Wow,” Ino verbalizes, making a face at the thought.</p><p>He feels the same.  If they don’t drive him to school, he’s going to be in for a workout every morning and afternoon.  Even worse, what if they don’t have internet?  Well, he’ll just set it up and find a part-time to pay for it...but what if there isn’t even good phone reception?  He can’t do anything about that!</p><p>“That’s practically right across the bay,” Choji observes, already finishing off his ice cream parfait.  “So you’re going to live by the ocean?”</p><p>He remembers the street view on Maps.  One road leading along the coast, his great-aunt and great-uncle’s house tucked along the street.  “Yeah, actually.  They live in this little house in this area right across the docks.”</p><p>Choji shrugs.  “Sounds pretty nice.”</p><p>“I…”  A barely-there voice.</p><p>He turns his attention to Hinata.</p><p>She blushes.</p><p>His gut inexplicably tightens.  </p><p>“I’ve been to Awajishima with my family.  Two years ago.  We saw the whirlpools and the botanical garden.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?”  After officially confirming that he has relatives on that island, the mystery was solved.  He really must be named after those famous whirlpools.</p><p>“Mhm.  It’s a beautiful island.”</p><p>“Hey we can come visit you!” Ino cuts in, eyes wide.</p><p>“I dunno…”  As far as he knows, besides the whirlpools, there doesn’t seem much to do.</p><p>Hinata nods.  “I’d like to go again.  There’s a sunflower field there we didn’t have time to visit.”</p><p>“Sunflowers?” Ino gasps in excitement.</p><p>Hinata smiles, eyes glittering with memories.  “Awajishima has many beautiful flower fields.”</p><p>“Ugh, we <em> have </em> to all go,” Ino decidedly states.  “Can you just imagine?  Naruto.”</p><p>He pulls his eyes off Hinata to see Ino staring at him.</p><p>Her sharp brows lift up.  “Expect all of us this summer break.”</p><p>That would be almost exactly in a month.  A lot sooner than he ever thought he’d see them again.  “Uh-”</p><p>“Yeah, man, we’ll come visit you.”  Shikamaru slaps him on the back.  “Sounds like a good time to me.  Sit around...Look at the ocean...Look at some flowers.”</p><p>“Pff.”  He can’t help but laugh at what a lazy bum Shikamaru prides himself to be.</p><p>Choji looks up from his phone.  “Says here they’re famous for <em> beef</em>.”  His small eyes enlarge, the way they do whenever he’s looking at food or reading a menu.  “And fish!  You think your great aunt and uncle are good at cooking?”</p><p>“Ehhh, I dunno…”</p><p>“Well don’t worry about that!”  Ino shoots a glare at Choji.  “We’ll just stay at a hostel or AirBnB in the town.  We’ll get our own meals.  You can just meet us there or whatever.”</p><p>Choji’s already deep into his phone’s browser.  A glance over shows Naruto the tell-tale stripe of red across the top--the search engine app on the best restaurants in the area.</p><p>Hinata tilts her phone his way.  “Um, maybe we could stay here?”</p><p>Ino bumps shoulders, peering over.  “Hey that looks perfect, can I see?”</p><p>Hinata hands the phone over, and Ino scrolls through the page, commenting aloud on the amenities, the reasonable price, the location, the nearby attractions.</p><p>Naruto glances over at Shikamaru, who just smirks.  “Looks like you’re not getting rid of us so easily.”</p><p>He doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  He wasn’t expecting this.  This didn’t happen the first time.  He’s not sure why this time is so different.  It scares him just as much as it pleases him.  The trajectory of his future rapidly changed, however small, and he hopes this isn’t a dream.</p><p>Ino squeals.  “This is so exciting!”  She passes the phone back to Hinata.  “I’m texting Sakura about this.”</p><p>“I have to ask permission, maybe my father will let me go…” Hinata murmurs.</p><p>Naruto beams at them.  “Well, uh, maybe my great aunt and uncle won’t mind supervising us a little.  I’ll just have to see what they’re like.”</p><p>Ino lets out a heavy sigh as she taps a message on her phone.  “Oh yeah.  Well, hold up.  I’ll try ask my mom and dad to come with us.  Or--Choji!”</p><p>Choji looks up.</p><p>“You think your parents would want to come, too?”</p><p>Choji grins.  “I just have to show my dad these restaurants--”  He waves his phone.  “--And I’m sure they’ll go along for a short trip!”</p><p>“Kay, well we gotta figure this out quick before everywhere books up.”  She suddenly squeals again, her mood flipping like a switch.  “A trip!!”  She turns to Hinata.  “I hope your dad lets you come!”</p><p>“I hope so, too.”  The bluenette blushes a smile.  “Maybe since he’s been there before, he’ll feel more at ease about me going?”</p><p>“Yeah!”  Ino nods reassuringly.</p><p>They turn to Naruto, and he realizes his own smile hasn’t receded.</p><p>“Thanks, you guys.  I hope it works out.”  He pauses, taking in their looks of excitement.  It’s the first time he’s felt like his departure isn’t a finality.  “It makes me feel a little better about having to leave.”</p><p>“It’ll be cool to see where you’re going to be,” Shikamaru replies.  “See for ourselves how you’re going to turn into a country bumpkin.”</p><p>He rolls his eyes as Ino laughs.  He spots Hinata smiling, too.  He tries to keep his imagination from wandering to a trip that might not happen.  But if they can all go...If <em> she </em> can go, too…</p><p> </p><p>He likes her.</p><p>Somehow, he doomed himself.  With this time-turning thing.  Running, running, running, and smack!  Head-first into a wall.</p><p>He could’ve left for Minamiawaji, simply thinking of her as that really quiet, pretty, smart girl who confessed to him at the festival.</p><p>Well, that first time he used his necklace was a complete accident.</p><p>If he hadn’t done it <em> a second time</em>, he could’ve left for Minamiawaji, simply thinking of her as that really <em> cute</em>, pretty, smart girl who confessed to him at the festival and danced at karaoke.</p><p>But no.</p><p>Something’s different this time around as their two circles of friends merge during the short lunch periods to plan a trip that still might not happen.</p><p>Hinata shares some notable places to visit, every so often looking at him for his opinion on the idea.</p><p>If he didn’t know that she likes him, he probably wouldn’t think anything of it.  <em> But he does know. </em>  And it makes him feel all sorts of messed up and self-conscious whenever she blushes at his smile.</p><p>Because a cute, pretty, really attractive, smart, <em> nice </em> girl is crushing on him, has been crushing on him, and it’s obvious she’s been harboring her feelings so secretly as if she doesn’t want to be a bother to him.</p><p>It’s really cute.  The way she talks.  Her voice so soft.  Her eyes lighting up joyfully whenever Sakura or Ino enthusiastically agree with an idea.</p><p>She’s got a traditional beauty vibe, like a princess from another era with her clear, soft-looking skin and long, dark hair, but it turns out she’s really down-to-earth, keeping her two girl friends from daydreaming about expensive visits to onsen or theme parks.</p><p>He likes someone like her.</p><p>Someone like her…</p><p>He ignores the disappointed shuttering in his chest.</p><p>He tries to act as normal as possible with everyone, with her.</p><p>Yet at the back of his mind…</p><p>He tries not to wonder if she’ll confess to him again at the festival.  And what he might say.  He'd have to...he'd have to say that...since he's moving...he wouldn't be able to...</p><p>Or maybe she won’t confess.  Because she'd have to see him on the trip.  Then he wouldn't have to tell her that...  But how will he feel if she doesn’t confess?...</p><p>He tries not to think about her.</p><p> </p><p>She’s so damn hard to not think about.</p><p>Suddenly, she’s always around.  On his mind.</p><p>At the corner of his peripheral, sitting across the room in each period.</p><p>Stealing glances at each other during lunch that leave his chest all locked up and his face slightly warm.</p><p>Shyly waving goodbye at the end of class, a heady feeling bubbling too quickly for just friendly classmates.</p><p>Even karaoke <em> again</em>, Friday night, she’s there.</p><p>He just can’t believe himself.</p><p>He sits himself beside her.  Something he's never dared to do before.  Just to feel that overwhelming dose of giddy butterflies that he knows he should be smashing down with a giant lid.</p><p>It’s stupid.</p><p>But he rationalizes that he can help her get accustomed to singing karaoke like the last time.  “Here, Hinata, choose a song!”  He heaves the binder over to her.</p><p>“Thank you,” she quietly replies.</p><p>“Yeah, no problem.”  He wants to act nonchalant.  Singing along, glancing down at her every so often.  Nonchalantly.  Right.</p><p>When she stops at a title, her finger pointing at the ID number, he quickly grabs the large remote for her.  “You found a song you like?”</p><p>“Mhm.”</p><p>“Tell me the number, I’ll put it in for you.”</p><p>“Okay.”  She reads it off, and he punches in the digits.  “Thank you, Naruto-kun.”  She smiles at him so openly as she sweetly says his name, he feels like he did more than just a little favor.</p><p>He never thought about it much before this week, but her tone around his name is so light and airy, feminine and nice.  He likes it a lot.  “Yeah, ‘course.”  He doesn’t want to be just nonchalant.  He wants to be cool and reliable.</p><p>So when her song is up, he’s ready to encourage her to take the microphone.  “You can hold it like this if you want.”  He shows her, and to his surprise, she readily takes it with a shy smile, nodding.</p><p>He cheers for her.  He sings with her.  He helps her with the remote and the heavy binders.</p><p>She smiles at him.  She claps happily when he goes hard on a jam.  She giggles his name out when he acts silly during a song.</p><p>He feels more than just admired.</p><p>And he <em> knows </em> he’s doing more than just encouraging her.</p><p>He’s doing that embarrassing thing people talk about.</p><p>Flirting.</p><p>Running, running, running, smack!, face-flat.</p><p>He hates this doomed feeling.  He loves it, too.</p><p>Sakura, Ino, and Hinata do that para-para number.  Unlike on the other timeline, she seems a little more willing, a little looser, even cuter.</p><p>The girls study the binder and find another one they remember.</p><p>The music is upbeat and adorable, just like their dancing.</p><p>He claps along, trying to catch the words here and there.</p><p>But inwardly, he’s mildly disgusted in himself.  He can’t stop watching her bouncing form, the swirl of her pleated skirt at her thighs.  How he’s hoping the other guys aren’t doing the same thing as him, or at least not looking at Hinata.  How logically he knows it’s neither healthy nor nonchalant, nor cool, nor reliable...of him to be constantly thinking, <em> cute, cute, cute, cute</em>.</p><p>It’s with regretful relief he sees that they decide they’ve had enough dancing for one night.</p><p>When she sits back down beside him, he doesn’t really know what to say.</p><p>She’s smiling widely, a blush stained on her cheeks.</p><p><em>...She’s really </em> “Cute.”</p><p>She blinks up at him, eyes wide.  “...Huh?” she verbalizes.</p><p>He closes his stupid mouth and turns away, suddenly incapable of looking at her.  “Yeah...your guys’ dancing was great!”</p><p>She’s silent for a long moment.  Then quietly, she murmurs, “Thanks.”</p><p>He peeks at her.</p><p>Her eyes are fixed on the screen as she pretends to sing along, but her steaming red ears are a dead giveaway to how his words affected her.</p><p>He’s dying and living over this.  He wants to tease her more, he wants to flirt and test this feeling out <em> more. </em></p><p>They sing, nearly forgetting the time.</p><p>It’s as they’re walking back to the station, he realizes.</p><p>The week is almost over.</p><p>One more day.</p><p>Then the festival.</p><p>And will she confess again?</p><p>He slows his pace until she’s caught up.  “Hinata.”</p><p>“Hm?”  She looks up at him with a shy smile. </p><p>He still doesn’t know if he actually wants her to or not...  “You’re going, right?  To tomorrow’s festival?”</p><p>She looks away, her head dropping, shaking.</p><p>“You’re not?!”  He realizes belatedly that he sounds <em> way </em> too surprised, too upset.</p><p>She silently nods.</p><p>But last time she went!  And the time after that, too, she said she was going to go!...He tries to scale his emotions back.  “...Why not?”</p><p>“I, um, got caught on Monday.  For skipping juku.”</p><p>“You did?”  He still sounds a little too upset.</p><p>Her lips tighten into a frown.  “So I’m not allowed to go to the festival tomorrow.”</p><p>“You...got back late or something?”</p><p>“Oh.  No.  I actually got home too early.”  She ducks her head in embarrassment.  “My little sister accidentally told my dad I got home earlier than expected.  She didn’t mean to get me in trouble.”</p><p>He can’t believe this.</p><p>He tries to wrap his mind around this.</p><p>She’s not going to confess to him tomorrow night.</p><p>He’s not going to see her at all.</p><p>She won’t be there.</p><p>“I’m sorry I can’t come,” she murmurs.</p><p>No, he could fix this.  He can make sure she’s there.  If he just resets this week, if he just warns her to stay out until it’s the time she usually goes home.  Or if he just...</p><p>He grips the gem at his neck.</p><p>“I hope I can at least go on the trip.  I haven’t asked, yet.”</p><p><em> The trip.</em>  He completely forgot about that for a moment.</p><p>If he turns back the time, there’s no guarantee events would pan out the same way.  There’s no telling if Ino and Hinata would think to bring up the topic the second time around.  Or if Hinata would even go get ice cream with them.</p><p>If he resets this week, they might not talk the way they have been.  All of these sweet exchanges with her...gone.</p><p>“...You really can’t go tomorrow?”</p><p>She shakes her head again.  “I really wanted to go.”</p><p>“Mm.”  He wanted her to go, too…  He fingers the necklace, uncertain.</p><p>“So that’s why I came tonight.”  She smiles up at him, a slightly sneaky expression on her face he’s never seen before.</p><p>Despite his mixed feelings, he can’t help but grin back.  “Yeah, I’d never have thought that you’d skip classes!”</p><p>Her cheeks pinken, a self-satisfied smile blossoming.  “I never thought I would either.”</p><p>“...So what made you change your mind?”  His gut tightens.  He glances at her nervously.  What if she says it was him?</p><p>But she looks away, eyes unfocused.  “...I think I was given a second chance.”  She smiles softly.</p><p>“A second chance?”</p><p>“Mhm.  I thought it was my last chance, but it wasn’t.”</p><p>Does she mean going out with them?  With him?  “What was your last chance?...Or- you thought was your last chance?”</p><p>“Um.”  She peeks up at him.  Then quickly glances away.  “The festival.  To have fun with everyone together.”</p><p>He blushes a smile.  <em>"Everyone"</em> meaning...including him.  It's roundabout.  It's there, but it's not exactly what he wants to hear.  “But still, you wanted to go tomorrow, right?”</p><p>“Yeah…”  She nods, then shrugs.  “It’s okay.  I had a lot of fun this week.”</p><p>He fists his hands.  Somehow, it’s not okay.  There’s no saying if his friends can even go on the trip.  Choji and Shikamaru will likely visit him, but if he really wants for them to come, he’s close enough with them that he could just bring the topic up on his own in a do-over.  “...What if you could do this week over?  Would you?”</p><p>She snaps her attention to him quickly, alarm in her eyes.  “W-what?”</p><p>“If you could do it over…” he starts, more uncertain with her strong reaction.  “So that you can go tomorrow...would you?”</p><p>Her brows furrow up at him, and unconsciously, he squeezes the gem between his finger and thumb.  She looks away, blinking, obviously thinking it through.</p><p>He’s about to backtrack when she looks up at him, determination set across her features.</p><p>“No.  For once in my life, I feel like I didn’t regret a single moment.”  She smiles.  “I felt like I lived fully.  Even when I got in trouble with my father, I felt like...I was experiencing life.  So it’s okay if I can’t go tomorrow.”</p><p>He wants to smile genuinely at her.  He wants to feel happy for her.  Just her lively spirit this afternoon, her smiles, her dancing, her laughter, all of it has been amazing, eye-catching, attractive.  Except the gigantic hope he didn’t even know he had for tomorrow was completely extinguished.</p><p>He wants more time.</p><p>He’s not ready to go.</p><p>He wants to hang out with her at the festival, he wants to hear her confession, he wants those words unprompted, given freely to him as if he’s always simply deserved her affection.</p><p>He never even had to try.</p><p>He just existed in the same class as her.</p><p>He didn’t know.</p><p>But had he <em> known.</em>  Had he known, he could’ve done something about it.</p><p>She’s lived this past week without regrets, but what about him?</p><p>What should he have done differently?</p><p>How much time does he need to change things?</p><p>From before Jiraiya passed so that he doesn’t have to move?</p><p>...But his godfather suffered for so long with his addiction.  He did all that he could to help.  His godfather tried as best he could, too.  Going back to that time...the 119 calls, the hospital stays, the arguments over missing money…  He loved his old man, but his passing was a long time coming.  And he doesn’t think he wants to experience any of that constant worry again.</p><p>A week.</p><p>This week over again is all he needs.</p><p>He grips the gem.  <em> Please. </em></p><p>The subway pulls into the station.</p><p>The doors slide open.</p><p>His friends pile in.</p><p>“Naruto!  C’mon!” Sakura yells at him.</p><p>His heart pounds.</p><p>It didn’t work.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Please stand clear of the doors.</em> </b>
</p><p>He dashes into the crowded car.</p><p>“You okay, man?” Kiba asks.  “You zoned out?”</p><p>“Yeah…”  He’s still not all present.  He takes off his necklace to examine it.</p><p>It shines in perfect clarity, no scratches or smudges.</p><p>He tries again, gripping it, wishing for more time.</p><p>The subway train begins moving, the standing passengers swaying slightly.</p><p><em> Why won’t it work this time?!  </em>He frowns at the sudden, discomforting sensation that...this is reality.  This moment is the real thing.  He doesn’t get a do-over.</p><p>Everything this week was truly his last shot.</p><p>...Did he ever even have a shot?  Was it ever fair?</p><p>His eyes drift over toward Hinata, who’s standing very closely with Ino and Sakura.  Choji and Shikamaru stand around the trio, casually and purposefully separating them from the salarymen on the opposite side, their obvious presence discouraging any aberrant gazes toward the girls.</p><p>He can’t help frowning.</p><p>There are too many people for it to make any sense for him to try moving closer to her.  To protect her like any good guy would.  That was his chance, too, and he didn’t even realize it.</p><p>He got in too late.</p><p>
  <em> Too late. </em>
</p><p>It’s too late for him.</p><p>For them.</p><p>For there to be a “them.”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>He half-expects to see her.</p><p>
  <em>Inseparable three girls dressed in yukata, their slow approach heightening the fun adrenaline of the occasion.  They took small steps toward them, due to their traditional wear.  Naruto knows they all turned to look.  Noticing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hinata looked like she was made to wear it, like the model in the video advertisement at the main train station.  Her long hair was up fancy, exposing more of her cheeks and neck than he had ever seen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And the yukata made even brash girls like Sakura and Ino look demure, their rowdiness contained within the tightly pulled folds and draping sleeves.  He felt like he'd never seen them more covered.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But he didn't get a chance to dwell on that thought for long.</em>
</p><p><em>"Oh, Shikamaru!" Ino gasped, loudly.  "I </em>never<em> would have thought you'd wear one, too!  And Choji!  You guys look really good!"  She said such a compliment without a single hint of embarrassment.</em></p><p>
  <em>Sakura passed a glance at him and Kiba.  "You two didn't dress up?" she asked, accusingly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Even though he knew Shikamaru and Choji don't care at all about what Ino thinks, he couldn't help feeling the smallest bit of jealousy.  "I don't even own one," he replied.  Not that he really cared about what Ino and Sakura think.  But that, in general, that must be what girls honestly feel about guys in yukata...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"My mom forced me to wear it," Shikamaru huffed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Mine, too," Choji said with a shrug.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And even if he did own one, it's not like anyone would help him put it on.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"And what do you think about us?" Ino asked impatiently.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kiba cocked his head, frowning, looking among them.  "Hinata sure, but for you two...doesn't match, does it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their faces deformed so quickly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All the guys couldn't help busting out in laughter as they realized Kiba accidentally voiced what they were all thinking.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Kiba-kun!" Hinata scolded, her voice raised to...a regular-human level.  Then, "Ino-chan!  Sakura-chan!" more panicked as the two fruitlessly tried to swat at Kiba, who could easily jump out of reach, not at all encumbered by geta.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"If I wasn't wearing this!  You'd be dead!" Ino threatened.  But she didn't seem actually mad.  Naruto was pretty certain she found the humor in this, too.</em>
</p><p>There's no Hinata tonight to diffuse the situation.  Kiba's joke is still funny.  But her absence is almost visually painful.</p><p>Everything just wrong.  Missing her.</p><p>He hardly talked with her that night, but it’s not like he didn’t notice her.</p><p>He just…</p><p>Thought…</p><p>She was too proper and elegant to ever consider someone like him…</p><p>Last week…or in the other timeline...he looked at her a lot without meaning to.  Her hair was pulled up, her eyes were so noticeable, she looked different.</p><p>He guesses he always just looked at her.  He never really had conversations with her.  He didn’t know what they had in common.  But she was around enough to look at.  Around enough for him to acknowledge that she was good-looking and smart, but quiet.  In the past year or so that he’s known her, she was always something between just-another-classmate and a friend because he was friends with her friends.  So a close classmate?  A friendly acquaintance?  It was nice to just stand near her and know that a takane no hana was next to him.</p><p>And now?</p><p><em> Now </em> they’re actually friends?</p><p>And all he had to do was talk to her for a minute longer?</p><p>All she had to do was go out with them once or twice?</p><p>It’s not fair!</p><p>If he told her his feelings right now!</p><p>If he just called her--</p><p>He doesn’t even have her number.</p><p>He doesn’t have her LINE.</p><p>Does she even have an Insta?...</p><p>Can he ask someone for her contact info now?</p><p>Wouldn’t that be too obvious?  Out of the blue?  Strange now to ask for such a thing since he’s leaving anyway?...</p><p> </p><p>The night goes on. </p><p>Despite their jokes about their yukata, Ino and Sakura <em>are</em> pretty.  They're funny, the life of the party, going head-to-head on festival games.  The duo is just as noisy as the last time.</p><p>He tries his luck and skill, competing with them, winning at shateki, but Ino and Sakura are never so easily impressed.</p><p>So he was actually just trying to impress Hinata?  Last week, or rather, in the original timeline?</p><p>He thought he wanted to look good for “the girls,” but actually, logically, didn’t he know Sakura and Ino don’t give a damn?</p><p>
  <em> All along I… </em>
</p><p>The night’s not nearly as fun as he remembers it being.</p><p>The yakisoba’s not as filling, the shave ice isn’t as sweet.</p><p>The fireworks aren’t as nice, either...beside him at the railing stands a stranger.</p><p>Hinata was there last time.</p><p>
  <em> Her voice so soft.  “Naruto-kun.” </em>
</p><p><em> “Yeah?”  </em>What if he had stopped watching the show and looked at her then?  He can imagine how she must have looked in that moment...pretty, and so close to him.</p><p><em> “I love you.”</em>  He doesn’t remember the last time anyone said that to him.</p><p><em> “What?”</em>  And that was what he said.  That’s what he said.</p><p><em> Her eyes wide, the proverbial “deer-in-the-headlights.”</em>  That’s how she looked.  That’s how he made her look.</p><p>
  <em> “Sorry,” she whispered.  And she looked away like she already regretted her words, like they were a crime against him, like she somehow severely inconvenienced him. </em>
</p><p>And that’s basically what he ended up implying, right?  As he realized the really pretty Hinata just confessed to him of all people, the night before he needed to leave, and he let his mouth continue to uselessly bumble out as if his first reply wasn't enough injury...  <em> “Why now?”  “I’m leaving!”  “So why would you tell me that now?”  “I can’t do anything about--” </em></p><p><em> She eventually seemed too shocked to answer him.  Speechless.  Then she turned away.  She ran.  Literally ran in her geta and yukata.  Away.  From him.  </em>Because he was such an insensitive asshole.  <em> And she fell. </em></p><p>His throat closes up, a knot too large to swallow.  The explosions of color above go dull in his ears, but pound in his head.  A hot pain prickles behind his eyes.</p><p>He made her run away from him.  Nice, pretty Hinata ran from him and fell because she couldn’t stand to be near him.  And that’s a sight he realizes now, standing here in this exact spot where she bared her intimate secret to him, that he’ll never forget...he’ll never forgive himself for it.</p><p>Maybe back then he didn’t know what to do when she confessed, and even now he’s not sure what he would do, but that’s not the problem!</p><p>Even with a second chance.</p><p>He just wanted more time.</p><p>Then with a third chance.</p><p>He wanted more time with <em>her</em>.</p><p>In the end, he did <em> nothing </em> to absolve him of hurting her.  Because even if in this timeline it never happened, even if he erased it, even if she doesn’t know that’s how he decided to react to her feelings, it still happened to him.  He still acted that way.</p><p>One more chance would make all the difference.</p><p>He doesn’t need a week.  He doesn’t even need a day.  Just that moment with her.</p><p>Just that moment back!</p><p>It was what he was counting on!</p><p>It was <em> supposed </em> to happen again!</p><p>He was supposed to be able to fix it somehow!</p><p>
  <em> “Naruto-kun.” </em>
</p><p><em> “Yeah?” </em>   And he’ll look at her.  He’ll meet her eyes for a last time.  He’ll <em> really </em> look at her and he’ll memorize everything soft and perfect about her.  He’ll burn it into his mind, he’ll forget the first time, he’ll do it properly this time, and at the end of it all he’ll <em>make sure </em>she smiles up at him, warm and right.  <em>“Hinata?”</em> he'll say, to encourage her. </p><p>And she’ll whisper...</p><p>What if no one ever says “I love you” to him ever again?</p><p>What if that was his only chance?  In his life?</p><p>Can’t he somehow go back to that moment?  Just to hear it again?</p><p>He grips his necklace, willing it to heat in his hand the same way it did that night.</p><p>Just that moment.</p><p>One more time!</p><p>He’ll leave after that!  He doesn’t need them to come visit him, he’ll leave, he’ll be a good foster kid, he’ll do his best at his new school, he’ll stop complaining about the countryside, and he’ll never regret anything again if he could just--</p><p>He prays to whatever time deity lives enshrined in his stone.</p><p> </p><p>But it doesn’t answer him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some cultural and story notes:</p><p>- The 1st trimester of the school year in Japan is from April to mid-July (Graduation/End-of-Year is in March).<br/>- Naruto and Hinata are second year senior high school students (11th Grade, ages 16-17) somewhere at the end of the 1st term.  This means they've known each other for only a little over a year.<br/>- Fact: many older men in Japan are disgusting.  You can't live in Japan as a female teen/new adult and not experience some kind of harassment in a public space, ie trains, subways, just walking down the street<br/>- LINE is a popular messaging app used more often than texting.<br/>- Japanese summer festivals are a chance to dress up in a yukata to impress your crush (or just to have fun with friends), eat street food, play carnival-like games, romantically watch fireworks with your lover, and most importantly, FLIRT.<br/>- Girls almost always wear their hair up in any kind of kimono per custom.  (Hanabi is an example of an exception since she wears it daily, and not for a special occasion.)<br/>- Juku (cram school) is common for those intent on getting into a private school or college, not the same as tutoring.<br/>- "cute-ness" is pervasive attractiveness, blurring the lines with innocence, beauty, and sexuality at times.<br/>- Takane no hana - one of my fave idioms meaning "Flower in a high place," an unattainable desire or beauty, or a woman who's out of one's league.</p><p>- The setting is some imaginary port city in the Kansai region of Japan (West), thinking along the lines of Osaka or Kobe.<br/>- Naruto is moving to countryside town Minamiawaji on a small island Awajishima in Hyogo Prefecture, a real place famous for its Naruto Whirlpools and the Naruto Bridge above it, between the major large islands of Honshu and Shikoku.  (Main island Shikoku has the town of Naruto, but that's just too much of his name going on there.)  So he's not moving entirely across the country, but moving prefectures and islands :(  Actually, he'll be, as Choji said, across the Bay.</p><p>Thank you for reading and all the encouraging comments last chapter! :)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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